Chinese military classic The Art of War gets revealing new translation – book review
Christopher MacDonald’s The Science of War gives a clean, straightforward and readable version of Sun Tzu’s famous work The Art of War and provides a fascinating discussion on its origins and theories
The Science of War: Sun Tzu’s Art of War Re-translated and re-considered
by Christopher MacDonald
4/5 stars
Every young pup sent to East Asia is probably given Sun Tzu’s The Art of War to read, especially if one is male, and especially if one’s boss is both male and Chinese. Anyway, I was.
I found it a work of pithy aphorisms which, while undoubtedly useful, seemed – once stated – like common sense rather than revelatory. “Move only when it suits your purpose. Otherwise stay put,” is one example in Christopher MacDonald’s new translation.
For those that do not know Sun Tzu, even by reputation, MacDonald writes that: “The original work, dating from the decades before and after 300 BC, was the most systematic exploration of military philosophy, strategy and tactics of its era, and to this day it remains probably the most profound and comprehensive single volume on these topics.”
